Dikeoulakos Reflects On Targoviste Exit

11 January 2013

EUROLEAGUE WOMEN

"I sincerely wish the players, management, staff and new coach [...] every success," George Dikeoulakos

George Dikeoulakos has expressed his disappointment at parting ways with Municipal Targoviste having delivered a promising start to the EuroLeague Women campaign which even hinted at a potential play-off spot.

The Greek play-caller, who left Fenerbahce after being handed a two year deal by the Romanian club last summer, guided them to three successive wins and could have so easily had four victories on the board, had they not lost in heart-breaking fashion on opening night to Schio.

Whilst unsurprisingly, they followed this three game winning streak by subsequently losing to the top three clubs in Kosice, Schio and Fenerbahce, Dikeoulakos believes the team was well set to achieve their aim of reaching the post season in a highly competitive Group B.

"It's a real pity that I am not able to continue the magnificent pathway we created for Romanian basketball with Targoviste, since I am hugely proud of what we achieved so far this season" insisted Dikeoulakos.

"But, it's always a difficult situation when priorities suddenly change drastically and there is regretfully a breakdown of both communication and co-operation.

"I am confident we had a big opportunity to go to the play-offs because the players were working really hard and I think we would have found the wins we needed during the last few weeks of the regular season.

"Maybe the team can still do this and from the bottom of my heart, I sincerely wish the players, management, staff and new coach of Targoviste every success.

"However most of all, I want to thank the fans, because they showed me quite unbelievable warmth and also displayed amazing passion for both their country and for women's basketball" added the coach.

Dikeoulakos is of course experienced enough to know that such situations are perhaps something of an occupational hazard, but he now wants to simply focus on looking forward, rather than dwelling on recent events.

He said, "I prefer to think only about the future from this point onwards.

"I am already relishing the next potential challenge and am excited about what might lie ahead.

"For sure I will miss EuroLeague Women and the lovely feeling of coaching and working hard on the court".

Tagoviste have handed the coaching reins to Florin Nini for the remainder of the season.